Preparation for Confession and Communion

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AN ORTHODOX CONFESSION WHICH LEADS MAN TO HUMILITY

Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

AN ORTHODOX CONFESSIONWHICH LEADS THE INWARD MAN TO HUMILITY
From "The Way of a Pilgrim"

Turning my eyes carefully upon myself and watching the course of my inward state, I have verified by experience that I do not love God, that I have no religious belief, and that I am filled with pride and sensuality. All this I actually find in myself as a result of detailed examination of my feelings and conduct, thus:

  1. I do not love God. For if I loved God I should be continually thinking about Him with heartfelt joy. Every thought of God would give me gladness and delight. On the contrary, I much more often and much more eagerly think about earthly things, and thinking about God is labor and dryness. If I loved God, then talking with Him in prayer would be my nourishment and delight and would draw me to unbroken communion with Him. But, on the contrary, I not only find no delight in prayer, but even find it an effort. I struggle with reluctance, I am enfeebled by sloth, and am ready to occupy myself eagerly with any unimportant trifle, if only it shortens prayer and keeps me from it. My time slips away unnoticed in futile occupations, but when I am occupied with God, when I put myself into His presence every hour seems like a year. If one person loves another, he thinks of him throughout the day without ceasing, he pictures him to himself, he cares for him, and in all circumstances his beloved friend is never out of his thoughts. But I, throughout the day, scarcely set aside even a single hour in which to sink deep down into meditation upon God, to inflame my heart with love of Him, while I eagerly give up twenty-three hours as fervent offerings to the idols of my passions. I am forward in talk about frivolous matters and things which degrade the spirit; that gives me pleasure. But in the consideration of God I am dry, bored and lazy. Even if I am unwillingly drawn by others into spiritual conversation, I try to shift the subject quickly to one which pleases my desires. I am tirelessly curious about novelties, about civic affairs and political events; I eagerly seek the satisfaction of my love of knowledge in science and art, and in ways of getting things I want to possess. But the study of the Law of God, the knowledge of God and of religion, make little impression on me, and satisfy no hunger of my soul. I regard these things not only as a non-essential occupation for a Christian, but in a casual way as a sort of side-issue with which I should perhaps occupy my spare time, at odd moments. To put it shortly, if love for God is recognized by the keeping of His commandments (If ye love Me, keep My commandments, says our Lord Jesus Christ), and I not only do not keep them, but even make little attempt to do so, then in absolute truth the conclusion follows that I do not love God. That is what Basil the Great says: 'The proof that a man does not love God and His Christ lies in the fact that he does not keep His commandments'.

  2. I do not love my neighbor either. For not only am I unable to make up my mind to lay down my life for his sake (according to the Gospel), but I do not even sacrifice my happiness, well-being and peace for the good of my neighbor. If I did love him as myself, as the Gospel bids, his misfortunes would distress me also, his happiness would bring delight to me too. But, on the contrary, I listen to curious, unhappy stories about my neighbor and I am not distressed; I remain quite undisturbed or what is still worse, I find a sort of pleasure in them. Bad conduct on the part of my brother I do not cover up with love, but proclaim abroad with ensure. His well-being, honor and happiness do not delight me as my own, and, as if they were something quite alien to me, give me no feeling of gladness. What is more, they subtly arouse in me feelings of envy or contempt.

  3. I have no religious belief. Neither in immortality nor in the Gospel. If I were firmly persuaded and believed without doubt that beyond the grave lies eternal life and recompense for the deeds of this life, I should be continually thinking of this. The very idea of immortality would terrify me and I should lead this life as a foreigner who gets ready to enter his native land. On the contrary, I do not even think about eternity, and I regard the end of this earthly life as the limit of my existence. The secret thought nestles within me: Who knows what happens at death? If I say I believe in immortality, then I am speaking about my mind only, and my heart is far removed from a firm conviction about it. That is openly witnessed to by my conduct and my constant care to satisfy the life of the senses. Were the Holy Gospel taken into my heart in faith, as the Word of God, I should be continually occupied with it, I should study it, find delight in it and with deep devotion fix my attention upon it. Wisdom, mercy, love, are hidden in it; it would lead me to happiness, I should find gladness in the study of the Law of God day and night. In it I should find nourishment like my daily bread and my heart would be drawn to the keeping of its laws. Nothing on earth would be strong enough to turn me away from it. On the contrary, if now and again I read or hear the Word of God, yet even so it is only from necessity or from a general love of knowledge, and approaching it without any very close attention, I find it dull and uninteresting. I usually come to the end of the reading without any profit, only too ready to change over to secular reading in which I take more pleasure and find new and interesting subjects.

  4. I am full of pride and sensual self-love. All my actions confirm this. Seeing something good in myself, I want to bring it into view, or to pride myself upon it before other people or inwardly to admire myself for it. Although I display an outward humility, yet I ascribe it all to my own strength and regard myself as superior to others, or at least no worse than they. If I notice a fault in myself, I try to excuse it, I cover it up by saying, 'I am made like that' or 'I am not to blame'. I get angry with those who do not treat me with respect and consider them unable to appreciate the value of people. I brag about my gifts: my failures in any undertaking I regard as a personal insult. I murmur, and I find pleasure in the unhappiness of my enemies. If I strive after anything good it is for the purpose of winning praise, or spiritual self-indulgence, or earthly consolation. In a word, I continually make an idol of myself and render it uninterrupted service, seeking in all things the pleasures of the senses, and nourishment for my sensual passions and lusts.

Going over all this I see myself as proud, adulterous, unbelieving, without love to God and hating my neighbor. What state could be more sinful? The condition of the spirits of darkness is better than mine. They, although they do not love God, hate men, and live upon pride, yet at least believe and tremble. But I? Can there be a doom more terrible than that which faces me, and what sentence of punishment will be more sever than that upon the careless and foolish life. that I recognize in myself?

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SELF-EXAMINATION ACCORDING TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Use the following questions as a guide for self-evaluation.

First Commandment
Thou shall have none other gods before Me (Deuteronomy 5:7).

Have I believed in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God in Three Persons?
Have I acknowledged God as the Lord, the Source of all good things, the Savior of my soul and body?
Have I loved God with all my heart, mind, soul and strength?
Have I constantly had the thought of God in my mind and the fear of God in my heart?
Have I failed to trust in God and His mercy?
Has my faith in God been shaken by skepticism or doubt?
Have I complained against God in time of adversity?
Have I been thankful for Gods blessings?
Have I questioned or doubted the holy tenets of the Orthodox Faith?
Have I asked God to strengthen my faith?
Have I despaired of Gods mercy or help?
Have I prayed to God every day, morning and evening?
Have I prayed with zeal?
Have I always attended Divine Services whenever possible?
Have I missed any of them without good reason?
Have I tried to serve God and keep His commandments?
Have I preferred religious books over others? Have I, in fact, read them?
Have I read atheistic or heretical books out of sinful curiosity?
Have I attended the meetings of heretics and schismatics?
Have I willingly contributed to charitable causes and to the Church? Have I given a sacrificial portion of my resources?
Have I neglected my duties to God through fear of ridicule or persecution?
Have I denied that I am a Christian?
Have I denied any teaching of the Orthodox Faith?
Have I given way to superstition?
Have I consulted astrologers, fortune-tellers or spiritualists?
Have I put myself before God?
Have I forgotten or neglected the most important thing in life, that is, preparing for eternity?
How will I answer God if I have given myself up to vanity, sloth, pleasure and carelessness?

Second Commandment
Thou shall not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them ... (Deuteronomy 5:8,9a).

Have I made an idol of any person or thing?
Have I given to any one or to any thing the worship that is due to God alone?
Have I put God first? Or have I given first place to: accumulation of money, acquisition of property, amusement or entertainment, food and drink, clothes, self-adornment, attention to myself, eliciting praise, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, spending time in distractions, obsession with myself or with other persons or things?
Have I been distracted from God by a passion for watching television or movies, attending the theater or playing games of one sort or another?
Have I been so anxious about myself, my family or my friends that I have neglected God, failed to serve Him and not carried out what is required of me by the Church?
Have I given too much attention to my home and its furnishings, its decoration and repair?
Have I paid too much attention to a car, truck, van, boat or other vehicle of travel?
Have I been irreverent during Divine Services, let my attention wander or been insincere?
Have I neglected to receive Holy Communion regularly?
Have I received the Divine Gifts without due preparation?
Have I made an idol of myself?
Have I made an idol of some passion? love of money? gluttony? sexual obsession? anger?
Have I allowed a passion to take possession of my heart?
Have I read the Holy Scriptures regularly?
Have I read books that would be spiritually nourishing?
Have I set before myself the holy life of Jesus my Savior and tried to imitate Him?
Have I called on Him to help me?
Have I read the lives of the Saints and tried to imitate their virtues, especially those of my Patron Saint?
Have I asked for their prayers and their strength?

Third Commandment
Thou shaft not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain (Deuteronomy 5:11).

Have I profaned the name of God in any way?
Have I been thoughtless or irreverent with the name of God?
Have I used the name of God in a curse?
Have I treated something holy as a joke, or joked about holy things?
Have I grumbled toward God or even renounced Him at any time?
Have I shown due respect to the clergy and the faithful or hindered them in their work?
Have I shown respect for all other people?
Have I prayed absent-mindedly or inattentively?
Have I cursed anyone or anything?
Have I sworn a false oath?
Have I broken an oath or a promise?
Have I entered into any sinful or unlawful contract or made such a promise?
Have I given in to despondency?

Fourth Commandment
Keep the Sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee (Deuteronomy 5:12).

Have I failed to attend Divine Services on the Lords Day or on a Great Feast Day without just cause?
Have I kept others from attending Divine Services?
Have I done unnecessary work on Sundays or on Great Feast Days?
Have I violated the sanctity of the Lords Day or Great Feasts by unwholesome or frivolous activities?
Have I distracted others from keeping these days in a godly way?
Did I pray at home if I was unable to attend Divine Services on the Lords Day or a Great Feast Day?
Did I make every effort to worship "in spirit and in truth" while I was at a Divine Service?
Did I allow myself to be distracted by worldly concerns at a Divine Service? to judge others? to think of unwholesome or frivolous things?
Did I make the effort to come to Divine Services on time?
Have I diligently kept the fasts of the Church?
Have I caused anyone else to violate the fasts or tempted anyone to do so?
Have I fasted properly in my heart, realizing a hunger for God and life in Him, rather than legalistically, just to fulfil the letter?

Fifth Commandment
Honor thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee (Deuteronomy 5:16).

Have I been disrespectful to my parents or inattentive to their advice and concern for me?
Have I been lacking in love for them?
Have I withheld love from them?
Have I disobeyed them?
Have I neglected them or failed to help them?
Have I cared for my parents in their illnesses or old age?
Have I deceived my parents or caused them pain by my words or actions?
Have I prayed for my parents and other relatives?
Have I prayed for the repose of my parents and other relatives who are departed?
Have I done my duty toward my family?
Husbands: Have I sacrificed my life for my wife?
Wives: Have I been obedient to my husband?
Have I encouraged peace and mutual respect among the members of my family?
Have I been responsible toward my spouse, children and others who depend on me for help, counsel, guidance or support?
Have I been wanting in love for my spouse or harmed her/him in any way?
Have I set a good example for my children?
Have I tried to rear my children in godliness?
Have I disciplined them with patience? or in anger?
Have I been overindulgent with my children?
Have I been stingy with any members of my family or with others?
Have I neglected my godparents or failed to honor them?
Have I neglected my godchildren or failed to instruct, guide or encourage them in the Orthodox Faith?
Have I worked for my employer honestly and diligently?
Have I treated fairly and respectfully all who worked with me or who are under my supervision?
Have I respected and prayed for the civil authorities?
Have I honored those who are older than I?
Have I shown respect for all others?
Have I mocked anyone or made fun of him?
Have I respected the clergy of the Church and prayed for them?
Have I criticized them or mocked them?
Have I been embittered against them, especially when they chastised or corrected me?
Have I honored God as my Father, the Church as my Mother, and other human beings as my fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters?

Sixth Commandment
Thou shalt not kill (Deuteronomy 5:17).
Have I killed another person, or have I contributed to the death of another person?
Have I had an abortion or given support or encouragement to someone else to have one?
Have I wanted another person to die?
Have I wanted any type of harm to come to another person or group of people?
Have I tried to kill myself or thought seriously about doing it?
Have I caused injury to another person?
Have I caused injury to myself through smoking, overindulgence, drinking too much alcohol, taking drugs or too much medicine or through evil and intemperate living?
Have I given way to anger?
Have I cursed anyone or hurt anyone with unduly harsh words?
Have I been cruel to anyone?
Have I ignored someone who needed help or failed to defend someone who was being treated unjustly or cruelly?
Have I failed to respond to those who are in need: to the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the imprisoned, the homeless, the ill, the troubled, the afflicted, the depressed or those with other needs that I could help?
Have I harmed someone spiritually by leading him into temptation to commit spiritual death through heresy, schism or by some other sin?
Have I shown malice or hatred toward another person?
Do I bear any malice or resentment or hatred in my heart toward anyone else?
Have I failed to forgive anyone or harbored evil thoughts against anyone?
Have I mistreated animals or destroyed or harmed any living creature unnecessarily?

Seventh Commandment
Neither shalt thou commit adultery (Deuteronomy 5:18).

Have I committed the sins of adultery or fornication?
Have I committed the sin of masturbation?
Have I had any sexual experiences outside of marriage?
Have I done anything impure alone or with any other person(s)?
Have I engaged in bestiality, transvestitism, sodomy or any other abnormal sexual practice?
Have I degraded myself or another person in any way?
Have I forgotten or ignored human dignity?
Have I been immodest?
Have I lived in an improper way with anyone else?
Have I read or looked at immoral, suggestive or pornographic books, magazines, pictures, websites, movies, tapes, dances, plays or performances?
Have I entertained impure thoughts or fantasies? Have I been unfaithful to my spouse through impure thoughts or fantasies?
Have I looked at any person or thing in an impure way?
Have I spoken or listened to impure or suggestive language, dirty jokes or lewd songs?
Have I eaten or drunk too much? Have I tempted others to do so?
Have I associated with bad companions?
Have I been a to unsavory place?
Have I been lazy, idle or wasteful of time?
Have I tempted others or led them to commit sinful acts or to entertain sinful thoughts?
Have I tempted others through my own immodesty or through suggestive language or actions?
Have I been unfaithful to any trust?
Have I betrayed the confidence of anyone else?
Have I judged any other person?

Eighth Commandment
Neither shall thou steal (Deuteronomy 5:19).

Have I stolen anything or wished to do so?
Have I stolen by fraud, deception or conspiracy?
Have I kept anything that did not belong to me?
Have I stolen by not rendering a service for which I was compensated?
Have I tried honestly to find the owner of lost articles I found, when it was reasonable to do so?
Have I cheated or defrauded anyone?
Have I accepted or purchased stolen goods?
Have I disposed improperly of the goods of another?
Have I paid my debts in a timely way?
Have I lived within my means?
Have I lived extravagantly or wastefully?
Have I been selfish with what is entrusted to me?
Have I been miserly in soul?
Have I shared with others?
Have I been stingy?
Have I given to those in need?
Have I given a sacrificial proportion of my goods to the Church for Gods service?
Have I been honest and upright in my dealings with others?

Ninth Commandment
Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbor (Deuteronomy 5:20)
Have I slandered anyone?

Have I lied?
Have I added to or taken away from the truth?
Have I made careless statements or spoken evil of anyone? Have I betrayed the confidence of another person?
Have I criticized others?
Have I rejoiced in the failings or downfall of others?
Have I covered my brothers shame as Shein and Japheth covered their father Noahs?
Have I spread gossip or scandal?
Have I hurt the reputation of anyone else?
Have I concealed the truth or assisted in carrying out a lie? Have I confessed to sins I have not committed?
Have I confessed all the sins I have committed?
Have I failed to come forward to defend another person when I knew lie was being slandered or spoken against unjustly?
Have I tried to see the good in others?
Have I concentrated on the shortcomings of others?
Have I engaged in idle chatter?
Have I spoken unnecessarily?
Have I laughed or acted frivolously?
Have I made a real effort to be truthful at all times?

Tenth Commandment
Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbors wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbors house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbors (Deuteronomy 5:2 1).

Have I envied others? either their lives or their goods?
Have I desired anything that was anothers?
Have I damaged or destroyed the possessions or property of others?
Have I desired things God has not given me?
Have I been discontent with my life?
Have I held back anything due to another because I wanted it myself or for any other reason?
Have I hoped for the downfall of another so that I might gain by it?
Have I failed to be gracious and generous to anyone?
Have I wanted from God what I refused to give to a fellow man: forgiveness? goods? grace? physical or spiritual blessings?
Have I been greedy?
Have I been jealous of another persons goods, money, appearance, success, love, popularity, being loved by another or others?
Have I concentrated my time, efforts and thoughts on the things of the world rather than on the things of the spirit?

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A CATECHISM ON CONFESSION

Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

A CATECHISM ON CONFESSION

When preparing to go to confession, every Orthodox Christian should try to remember all the sins that he has committed, whether voluntary or involuntary, and should examine his life in detail. If there are sins that were committed before his last confession, but which he then forgot to confess, he should mention these also.

When you come to confession, you should confess your sins sincerely, remembering that you are not confessing them to the priest, but to God Himself, Who already knows, but wants you to admit your wrongs and your guilt. You should not feel embarrassed before yourspiritual father, because, being a man like yourself, he knows human weaknesses and the inclination that all people have towards sin, and thus he cannot judge you harshly when you come to confession. But maybe you are embarrassed to confess your sins before your spiritual father because you are afraid of losing his good opinion? On the contrary, if you value his good opinion, you should understand that he will respect you all the more for the sincerity of your confession. Also, if you are ashamed and afraid to lay bare your sins before your spiritual father, how will you bear it when at the Dread Judgment your sinsif you have not been freed of them by true repentancewill be revealed before God Himself, His angels, and all mankind, both people you know and strangers? If you remember this, you will want to free yourself from your sins and from the punishment that they bring upon you, and will confess them in all sincerity before your spiritual father. You should hide nothing wrong that you have done, but at the same time you should not add anything extra, and not blame yourself for what you have not done by simply saying, Everything I have done is sinful, or some such catch-phrase. Nor should you admit every sin you are asked about whether you have done it or not, as some people mistakenly think they should Your confession must be realistic and therefore true.

Another reason why you should not simply say, I have sinned in everything, word, deed, and thought, and by omission, without giving further details, is because your spiritual father needs to know exactly what you have done in order to give you good advice. Also such a short, undetailed confession means that you are avoiding what confession is intended to achieve, i. e. to bring you to admit what you have done and to admit that you were wrong in doing it. Your spiritual father already knows that you are a sinner, for no man is without sin; even the holy Apostle Paul described himself as the chief of sinners. Each sin must be mentioned in turn, just as you would enumerate all your symptoms to a doctor. You should not just think of a couple of main trends to discuss, and neglect to mention the innumerable other sins.

Do not mention the sins of others in your confession, unless this is necessary for your spiritual father to understand how and why you yourself have sinned. If you have a personal problem involving other people, which you would like to discuss with your spiritual father, or if you are in need of advice or some consolation for some unkindness that has been done to you, make an appointment to see your spiritual father at some other time. Also, do not use the fact that many people commit some sin that you have committed as an excuse for it. Still less say but everyone does that. For one thing, you have come to confess your own sins, not those of others. How can you be sure that without exception every human being commits any given sin? Or even though you might know of their sin, how can you be sure they have not repented of it in their heart? Pay no heed to the sins of others. Oftentimes we imagine the motives and intentions and sinful inclinations of others, for no man knows the heart of another.

Confess your sins fully but concisely; one does not have to make a story of them! That in itself can be an evidence of pride. Particularly regarding carnal sins, do not go into detailed descriptions of sin. If your spiritual father feels that you need to confess any particular sin in fuller detail, he will ask you about it, and then you should not hesitate to describe it fully and to answer all his questions.

Before going to confession make a thorough preparation, and examine your life so that you recognize your sins. If you wish you can write out a list, or keep a list day by day. In order to check your sins, it is wise to check them against some list. One can use the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, or the list of sins in the prayer of daily confession of sins read before going to sleep each day, or that in the prayer at the end of the Canon to the Guardian Angel in the Prayer Book. Such checking against a list is very beneficial, otherwise one tends to remember only the most serious sins, or the most noticeable or most extraordinarily, and to forget, perhaps deliberately, the underlying ones, the ones that have become habitual, and the things that we have forgotten even to remember as sins because they have become so much a part of our life. Sins of neglect, omission, and laziness often fall into this category, as do the ones that are seemingly respectable: pride, vanity, etc.

Do not try to make excuses for your sins, for the more that you justify yourself, the less forgiveness you will receive. It is important that you yourself should fully realize how wrong each sin you have committed isand the more you understand the wrongfulness of any sin, the easier it will be for you to make an effort of will to avoid committing it in the future. However, you may mention if there is any special circumstance, such as some particular temptation or outside pressure, that it would be useful for your spiritual father to know, so that he can advise you how to deal with it.

It is important not to overlook any sin, but to mention all the sins that you have committed.

If you are asked whether you have committed a particular sin, it is not good enough to reply, I cant remember. This is, of course, much less likely to happen if you go to confession regularly. It is good at the end of your confession to admit that there may be other sins which you have forgotten or have not realized that you have committedsuch a sin might be by a careless word or action which has upset someone and perhaps caused them to sin.

Unless your spiritual father asks you about them, do not mention sins that you have not committed, nor good deeds that you have done. If you are asked whether you have committed some sin and have not, simply say No. Do not say, I have committed no serious sins, because this means that you do not realize how sinful what you have done is, and how sinful your insensitivity is.

Also do not be insensitive to the feelings and weaknesses of others, including your spiritual father. If you have not confessed for some time, or have some particular difficulty and are likely to need a long confession, try not to come on the eve of a great feast or when there will be many other people going to confession, but come on a day when there are likely to be few, or make a special arrangement with the priest. Also, unless it is otherwise completely impossible (because, for instance, you live far from the church), do not come for confession either immediately before the Divine Liturgy (when the priest will be preparing the gifts) or during the service, when you will cause the entire congregation to wait while your confession is heard.

If after your confession you are hoping to receive a blessing to partake of the Holy Mysteries, it is best to come for the confession after the evening service on the previous night.

You must be truly sorry for the sins you have committed. Unless you really regret having done them, and intend to try to avoid them in the future, you lack true penitence, without which your sins are not forgiven.

It is also necessary to confess with faith in Jesus Christ and to trust in His mercy. Only if we believe and trust in Jesus Christ can we receive remission of our sins. Judas Iscariot, for example, repented of his sin, not before one man, but before all, and he returned the pieces of silver. But instead of believing in Jesus Christ and trusting in His mercy, he fell into despair and, receiving no remission, he died a terrible death. Thus, in addition to careful confession and true repentance, faith and hope are essential for the salvation of a sinner.

Penances Their Nature and Purpose

Penance is a form of discipline or a prohibition administered by the priest (in accordance with the canons or laws of the Church) to those repentant Christians for whom it is necessary, much as a doctor prescribes a suitable medicine or treatment. It is a form of treatment for a moral sickness. Examples of penances are: fasting over and above what is required of all Orthodox Christians, special prayers of repentance with prostrations, reading books which will help in overcoming ones weakness, and the performance of good works.

Penances are not given to all who come to confession, but only to those who, by the nature or seriousness of their sins, require this special medicine. An example of this is St. Pauls excommunication of a Christian of the Church of Corinth for incest; then, because of his penitence, he received him back into the Church (11 Cor. 2:6-8).

Although penance would seem to be a punishment, its purpose is not to make retribution for sins, to pay back a debt, but is rather corrective, medicinal, and instructiveto cure the sinner from his sinful habits, to instruct him regarding both the harmful nature of what he has been doing, and ways to change his life, so that he shall not repeat his sin. Penance is intended to deepen and increase the penitents regret for what he has done, and to strengthen the desire of his will for correction. The Apostle says, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of (II Cor. 7:10). This is upheld by the canons of the Ecumenical Councils and the teaching of the Fathers, who describe penance as a means of spiritual treatment to cure the diseases of the soul. The 102nd canon of the Sixth Ecumenical Council says: The character of a sin must be considered from all points and conversion expected. And so let mercy be meted out.

Moral Guidance or The Opening of Ones Thoughts

It is necessary to distinguish between the mystery of confession itself, and the moral guidance of a spiritual father in the opening of thoughts which is still used, especially in some monastic communities, but is something quite different from confession. The telling of ones thoughts and actions before a spiritual elder, from whom one seeks moral guidance, has a vast psychological significance. It is very useful for moral training, the correction of bad inclinations and habits, and the overcoming of doubts and indecisiveness. In some monasteries this is practiced daily, but it is not a course to be entered upon lightly. Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov says, An indispensable condition of such submission is a Spirit-bearing guide, who by the will of the Spirit can mortify the fallen will of the person subject to him in the Lord, and can mortify all the passions as well. And he issues dire warnings about heeding Elders falsely so-called. Nonetheless, some writers (notably Prof. Andreyev) suggest that some form of opening of the thoughts can form part of Christian family life, so that husband and wife open their thoughts to each other each day. Of course such a practice is far removed from the spiritual discipline of Eldership of which Bishop Ignatius writes. Either way, this type of spiritual guidance, although very beneficial when rightly ordered, does not have the significance of a mystery or grace-bearing Church rite like confession, which is why confession itself, the sacrament of penitence, can take place only before a priest.

Reprinted from The Shepherd, published by the Brotherhood of St. Edward the Martyr, London, England.

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On Confession VERY IMPORTANT

Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

On Confession

When we come to Confession we come to meet a friend face to face. We are not coming to be judged and condemned. We do not come in terror of what will happen. We come to the One who, being God, has chosen, for the Love of us, to become Man, to take upon Himself all our human nature and to give His Life for us. His life, His death are to us evidence that we are so Loved of God that we can come up to Him by repentance with hope that He will receive us with open arms; that if anyone is to cry over our unworthiness and our sins it is Him, for compassion, for pity, for love - with a readiness, as He said in a vision to one of the Saints, that if there was only one sinner in the world He would again become Man and again die for him, because He cannot endure the thought of anyone perishing. This is the God, the Christ, to Whom we come when we come to Confession - to the One who waits for us to come to be healed, to be consoled - not to be condemned, not to be judged.

And then, what is the role of the Priest? In the prayer which is read before Confession we are told, ‘I am but a witness’. What does it mean? A witness to what? To the fact that you have come? That would not be enough. But if you think of what witnesses are: there are accidental, occasional witnesses. You are present in the street when an accident takes place. You are asked: what did happen? You are neither in favour of the ones or the others. You are just telling what your eyes have seen. It’s for others to judge and to know.

There are other forms of witness. At times a friend of ours is brought to judgement. And we come to defend him, to testify for him, to save him. That’s another kind of witness.

And then there is the witness which the Holy Gospel mentions speaking of St. John the Baptist: as the friend of the Bridegroom, the one who comes to the wedding, invited both by the bride and the bridegroom, because he is the nearest, the closest, to them both. And he is there to share their joy, the miracle of their encounter, the miracle of a blessing that will come upon them and out of two make one, unite them so that they are inseparable for ever in the mystery of eternal Love, of Divine Love shared with them.

This is the position of the Priest. He is called by Christ to be before the person, the sinner, a witness to the fact that he, the sinner, is Loved, that Christ is there, that He has no other desire or intention but the salvation and the joy eternal of the one who has come today. And he comes also in the name of the sinner saying: "Christ, my God, our Lord, this person has sinned, yes, but look, he trusts in You, he believes in You. We are prepared to give our lives for him to be reconciled and find peace and joy and be at one with You, our Lord, our God, our Saviour, our Lover."

When you come to Confession next time, think of these things. Think of the way you come: not with fear of punishment or of rejection but with open heart to pour out everything evil or doubtful there is in this heart. And Christ will receive you. Your confession may be to Him a new crucifixion but He accepts it. He doesn’t reject it. He does not reject you. Come, open your heart, speak in all truth to Him, knowing that you are Loved beyond judgement, to the point of sacrifice and death: His death and your life - life in time and life eternal.

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Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

You would say them all, just some are said right before receiving, the prayers of which many churches do right before Communion.

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Without Confession Repentance is Incomplete by Abp Innocent

Post by 尼古拉前执事 »

Without Confession
Repentance is Incomplete

by Archbishop Innocent of Kherson

But though didst stand before me in thy sins, and in thy iniquities. I, even I, am He that blots out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and thy sins; and I will not remember them. But do thou remember, and let us plead together: do thou first confess thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified." Isaiah 43: 24-26

Was it that the All-Knowing God did not know of the sins and transgressions with which the nation of Israel was covered, in the words of the Prophet, from head to foot? We see that the Wisdom of God sets as a necessary condition for forgiveness that the people of Israel not only recognize their sins but also confess them out loud: "Do thou first confess thy transgressions, that thou mayest be justified." Why is this? It is so that it will be clear that they -remember all their sins, see their burden, hate their iniquities and no longer wish to hide them from the rightful judgement of God. This is why, O brothers, the Holy Church requires from us not only internal repentance of our sins, but also external confession of them before servants of the altar. And so, beloved, if we are to be cured of our illnesses, then let's be cured: let us leave behind all our thoughts and cares of the flesh, cast off our coverings of pride and false sense of shame; and immerse ourselves in the water of repentance, just as we were in the water of our baptism - naked!

When did repentance first begin? This is a simple question, but to answer it I must take you very far back - into the Garden of Eden! Do you recall what happened after the fall of our original ancestors? They faced death - for it was clearly said: "but in whatsoever day ye eat of it (the forbidden tree) ye shall surely die" (Genesis 2:17). But instead there appeared the Lord Himself of both life and death. Why? To hear the sinners confession: "Adam," said the Lord, "where art thou?" Did not the All-Knowing know where Adam was? The All-Merciful desired to awaken the fallen man, to bring him to his senses, make him realize his perillous state and having realized this to incline him to confess his sin and seek forgiveness and mercy. But alas, to the voice of God our forefathers answered not with a clean heart recognizing their sin, but further transgressed by finding an excuse for it: "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me - she gave me of the tree and I did eat; ... and the woman said, The serpent deceived me and I did eat." (Genesis 3: 12-13). They thought to lay the blame for their fall not only on the serpent, but even upon God Himself, all in order to excuse themselves So ended the very first confession As you know, for this, the insincere confessors were sent unto a difficult epitimia - unto death - outside the gates of Eden. But even after this unfortunate first confession the all-merciful Lord did not abandon the sinners. Cain killed his brother: a grevious sin - what could one expect but punishment? But instead of punishment, a confession begins. Again appeared the Lord Himself! - and how does lie begin confessing the murderer!... not with threats, not with exposing him, but with a fatherly question: "Where is Abel thy brother?" But alas, the excess of the Lord's mercy was met yet again with hard-hearted-ness: instead of humbly confessing his sin, the unfortunate one answered: "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9). It is well known what were the fruits of this rebellion: "thou shalt be groaning and trembling upon the earth", - was said to the unfortunate confessor!

In Old Testament times, before the doors of the tabernacle and later the temple, there were always many who came to confess their sins. They would bring forth various sacrificial offerings for their sins, place their hands upon the head of their sin-offering and confess their sins. In this way, by the measure of their faith in the future all-encompassing sacrifice of the Son of God, they would receive God's mercy and the pardoning of their sins (Leviticus 4:29). In addition to this, every year on the day of cleansing, the Chief Priest would stand before the people and confess the sins of all of Israel. There were also special circumstances, in which there appeared remarkable persons to hear a confession: it was thus that the Prophet Nathaniel was sent by God Himself to expose David, and upon hearing his confession, to tell him of his forgiveness before the face of God. Just before the coming to this world of the Physician Himself of our bodies and souls, there was sent ahead the Forerunner to prepare the way. His whole life and all his labours consisted of the preaching of repentance and in receiving the confessions of those who repented. "Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the regions round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins" (Mathew 3: 5-6).

Finally there appeared the "Lamb of God" Himself "which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), the Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing into men's hearts He had no need for anyone to confess before Him - how is his life and what are his sins. Yet He preceded the forgiveness of sins with the question: "Wilt thou be made whole?" (John 5:6). "Dost thou believe in the Son of God?" (John 9:35). And the forgiveness of sins He accompanied with the direction "Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worst thing come unto thee" (John 5:14). The last deed of the Lord on the cross was the confession of the thief and, upon His resurrection, one of his principal actions was the confession of the Apostle Peter who denied Him at the time of His suffering. No matter how precious the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, but because we have constant need of them, He handed them to the Apostles even before His death, saying-. "Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in Heaven" (Mathew 16:19). The Apostles of Christ likewise did not take the keys to Heaven with them when they died but, as evidenced in their writings, they passed this great and important function to their successors the reconciliation with God of sinners and the right to bind and loose conscience. The zealousness of the Christians of the early centuries resulted in people confessing their sins before all and as a sign of their repentance they would pass through various stages of repentance with such self denial that public confession of sins began to be dangerous due to the weaknesses of those who heard. Therefore the Holy Fathers of the Church, especially St. John Chrysostom the Golden Tongued quickly turned confession from public to private before only one's spiritual father. Thus it remains without change until today. Confession is a great mercy of God who without chan unto desires not the death of a sinner but that all may come to repentance and be saved.,

"All this is good", some may say, "but why can one not confess before God alone?" "Why do we need itermediaries who are but people'?" Because, Oh beloved, you yourself are a person! It is true that the confession is only to God, but if you are truly repentant and sorry that you have offended your Master, Creator and Benefactor, then the answer to your confession must be very important to you. Thank the goodness of God that every time you go to confession you can hear a reply from the lips of your spiritual father. "But my conscience", think others, "can serve for me as a reply." Is this possible? Can he who is being judged grant his own forgiveness? If you are truly repenting, then your conscience more than ever needs comforting from another. In this case, the comforting voice of a servant of the altar, or even of an ordinary person, is precious and not infrequently saves one from despair. "But then", say some, "I can turn to anyone around me whom I can trust." Can you hear from just anyone's lips forgiveness from the face of God? Will just anyone, if he is truly honourable, take upon himself such a great responsibility? And what a great difference there is between hearing reassurance of the mercy of God from an ordinary person and hearing it gloriously from the lips of a servant of the altar who is granted authority for this from the Lord Himself! It is quite evident, Oh brother, that confession before a priest does not at all detract from confession by mutual Christian trust in one's neighbor. In fact the Apostle says, "Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that ye may be healed" (James 5:16). Likewise, for one who is truly grieving over his sins, confession before a priest is not the least bit of an impediment to internal confession before God. For this we direct one and all to read "Prayer of Repentance Before God As the Beginning of Salvation" compiled and left as a spiritual inheritance for all who truly repent by St. Dmitry of Rostov. In this "Confession" all will find not only how to confess your sins daily before God but also the confession itself and I dare say repentance and mercy from God. Amen.

Translated from "The Trinity Newsletter", Moscow, 1892. Published under the blessing of the Hermitage of St. Sergei of Radonezh.

Matthew
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Re: Preparation for Confession and Communion

Post by Matthew »

These are fabulous passages on repentance, and are the most practical and incisive guides to preparing oneself properly to receive the Holy Body and Blood. Thank you Nicholas for these posts.

Symeon

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